Wire stretgher



May 5, 1925.

N. L. HOWARD WIRE STRETCHER Filed Mal-C57, 1924 I of WVash-i rgton, -ful Improvements in ire Stretchers, of which therfollowing is -a specification.

Patented May 5, 1925.

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Application fiied mardh vjieea; Serial at 697,499.

170 all to 710m it may concern:

residing. at;Spokane,;.Spokane County, State have lnvented new and use T1115 invention pertains to improvements in wlre-stretchers, adapted for use 111- building andrepairing wire fences and the like" and has for its objects 1. To provide a body construction'of such form'that thei same will readily align withthe wire being stretched when the tension is applied.

2. To provide an improved means for an choring the device to a post and 3, to provide an improved means for splicing wires between posts.

The device will be hereinafter particularly described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view of the device complete, shown with a wire attached and supported by a post,

Figure 2 is a side view of the device complete shown with a wire attached, Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a side view of the device complete, shown with the ends of two wires attached in position for being stretched and connected between posts and Figure 5 is a broken-away side view of the device, showing a winding drum and ratchet wheels.

In a detail description in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, a shank 10 is provided at the end 1O with a guide loop 11. The said shank 10 is curved at an intermediate point, as at 12. Secured to the end 10 of the shank 10 and supported between plates 13 and 14 is a shaft 15, which carries a drum 16 with a ratchet-wheel 17 on each side thereof as well as furnishing a fulcrum for arms 18 of a lever 19. The plates 13 and 14 are secured to the shank 10 by means of rivets 20. Transversely arranged and secured to the shank 10 at 12 by means of a rivet 21 and to the plate 13 by means of a rivet 22, is a plate 23, the same being notched on opposite sides thereof as at 24 and 25. Rotatably mounted between and engaging the plates 13 and 14, as

at 26, is a pawl 27, normally held in contact with the ratchet-Wl1eels 1.7 by a spring 28.

p p I Rotata'blymounted between and engaging Belt known that I, :NATI-IAN Lnu I'IowARD, a citizenfyof the United States of America,

the arms 18 of the lever 19 as at 29, is'a pawl 30,; normally held in contact with the ratchet-'wheels17 by a spring 31.. A pin 32 connects the ratchet wheels 17 adj acerit the drum and to which one end of a chain 33 issecured, the free end of the chain 33 being provided with a clamp 34 as a means for connecting a wire 35 therewith.

J The plate 13 is curved outwardly from the shank 10 where ,it connects with the .eplate 23 and terminates in asharp point 36.

In the practical operation of the device,

the wire 35 is picked upeither by'engagement with the notch 24 in the plate 23 or by connecting directly with the clamp 34 at the end of the chain 33 at a place on the wire 35 that will give suflicient tension to cause the point 36 to penetrate the post 37 when the device is brought against the same. If the engagement of the wire 35 is first with the notch 24, then a subsequent engagement of the same is made with the clamp '34 and the connection with the notch 24 is released. The drum 16 is then rotated by means of the lever 19, the rotation being effected by means of the engagement of the pawl 30 with the ratchet-wheels 17, which has the effect of winding the chain 33 about the drum 16 and tightening the wire 35. In the backward movement of the lever 19, the pawl 27 holds the ratchet-wheels 17 in the advanced position until another forward movement of the lever 19 can be made and when the wire 35 has been drawn to a proper tension, the same pawl 27 will hold the ratchet-wheels and drum in position until the wire 35 can be stapled to the post 37. The pawls 27 and 30 are then raised to the position shown by the pawl 30 in Figure 5 and temporarily held in such a position by the springs 28 and 31, whereby the drum 16 and ratchet-wheels 17 are released for backward rotation, the chain 33 loosened and the clamp 34 released from the wire 35 and the device is in readiness for a repeated operation by merely returning the pawls 27 and 30 to engagement with the ratchet-wheels. The bend 12 in the shank 10, as will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 4, brings the tension from the drum 1.6 on the chain 33 and the wire 35 directly in longitndinal alignment with that portion of the shank 10 between the bend 12 and the end 10 of the shank 10. In case it is desired to splice or connect wires between posts by the device, the wire 38 reaching from one direction is secured in the notch 25 of the plate 23 and the wire 35 reaching from the other direction connected with the clamp 34 at the free end of the chain 33, the same being clamped at a point on the wire 35 to leave a loose end 35 beyond the clamp 34. and when by the manual rotation of the drum 16, the wires 35 and 38 have been brought to a proper tension, then the loose end 35 of the wire 35 may be wound about the wire 38 and the connections with the clamp 34 and the notch 25 released.

hat is claimed is:

1. A wire stretcher comprising a shank, a winding means at one end of the shank, a cable connected with the winding means, a bend in the shank intermediate the ends thereof, a plate extending from the end of the shank carrying the winding means along the shank to the bend therein and then curved outwardly in a direction opposite the bend in the shank and tern'iinating in a sharp point for a penetrating contact with a post and a plate secured transversely to the shank and to the first named plate at a point on the shank near the bend therein, such plate having means for gripping a wire.

2. A wire stretcher comprising a shank, a winding means at one end of the shank, a cable connected with the winding means, a bend in the shank intermediate the ends thereof and a plate extending from the end of the shank carrying the winding means along the shank to the bend therein and then curved outwardly in a direction opposite the bend in the shank and terminating in a sharp point for a penetrating contact with a post.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

NATHAN LEE HOWARD. 

